‘Sell’ feature simplifies the buy-sell process on Facebook groups

Facebook has come up with a new feature called ‘Sell’ to simplify the task of the selling stuff through the Facebook groups. This new feature for Facebook groups, will allow its members to add the item’s description, price and delivery location along with the post.

‘For Sale’ groups are one of the very popular categories among the millions of interest groups that Facebook hosts today. The groups serve as a platform for its member for local selling or as an alternative to e-shopping sites for items of common interest like clothes, electronics etc., based on the interest of the group members.

Until before the feature was launched, the members of such groups generally post photos and enter descriptions of the items but, now the ‘Sell’ feature allows the members to enter the details in a more structured format.

This feature is certain to assist the group admins , who often have to ring a bell to its members to list price and other details of the product. Also, the members get benefitted with this new additional feature as they do not have to comment or contact the vendors to get the basic details. This feature can get rid of the frustration caused for the members who would be interested in the product but would want to know its price or pick-up spot before they decide to buy.

The ‘Sell’ feature also allows to mark an item ‘Available’ or ‘Sold,’ that would help its members keep updated. Though such details were updated on comment section or by editing the description, through this feature its gets official means to designate items as sold.

Facebook notes, this feature would allow its sellers to view the previously sold catalog. This aids local artisans, many women owned and home-based businesses which are a popular sub-category of Facebook’s ‘For Sale’ groups.

After pilot testing for the feature last December, the company is now rolling out to select Facebook groups on web, iOS and Android. Facebook promises it would roll out slow but globally in the coming months.

Group admins can try the Sell feature first-handed by nominating their group here.

However, currently the feature is available only for the groups but not to the public pages where more professional selling takes place. Also, though the ‘Sell’ feature adds more structure and organizes the details, Groups is open to lot more improvements. Facebook does not let its user to search items of interest on mobile – it is only available for web. Adding-on to it, communicating to the seller is still a challenge as private messages to sellers inexplicably default to users’ Other folder on Facebook, which is not available within Facebook messenger.

The new feature is, however, a boon to many small businesses that do not have large online presence. It could provide a good alternative to Craigslist’s popular sale listing. Also, Facebook promises it would continue adding more user-friendly features to enhance sales in the groups in near future that would make communicating and selling trouble-free between the buyers and the sellers.